You don’t have to drink your face off to have a good time with the sweet and tart Virgin Margarita.
When I was in high school, I had a pretty nasty car accident. Blinded by the noon day sun, I accidentally ran a red light and slammed into oncoming traffic at top speed. Thankfully nobody was hurt, but the ‘79 AMC Concord I was driving turned into a metal accordion.
As a result, I had to spend one of my Saturdays in a random classroom for “Driver Reeducation”, taught by a bored, and possibly inebriated, football coach. While this was amusing enough, what really raised my eyebrows were the other “students” I shared the day with; mostly doctors and lawyers. All with DUIs.
The coach stood up at the front of the room as a television set with a VCR (shut up) was wheeled in on one of those tall, battleship-grey carts. You know the one I mean. “We’re just gonna watch some videos and get outta here early”, our “teacher” declared. A voice from the back rang out. “Plenty of time to hit Happy Hour!” And there was much laughter. Except from me. My mouth just hung open and stayed there.
So we watched a number of corny 1950s film reels all about car safety and the rules of the road. Pretty boring, innocuous stuff. Episodes of Leave It to Beaver looked like Oppenheimer in comparison. Then our last safety short came on, this one in color and from the mid-to-late ’60s. Two buddies go carousing down the freeway in a speedy convertible. The guy behind the wheel was taking pulls from a bottle of hooch, while his friend politely suggested that doing that while driving wasn’t a good idea. Probably. Anyway, they wound up flying right into an 18-wheeler, causing it to jackknife and take out a whole swath of vehicles, killing the two friends, plus a slew of others. The aftermath footage that was shown was apparently real, and I remember wishing this one hadn’t been in color. From the classroom came much laughter. Except from me. My mouth just hung open and stayed there.
So, what did this story have to do with the Virgin Margarita? Imagine you find yourself in the position of wanting a delicious, cold and refreshing tipple. You’re at a party, perhaps. Or maybe you’re at a friend’s house on a hot summer night, and are offered a drink. You’re driving in a short while, so you know you shouldn’t have a cocktail… except one sounds really, really tasty. You’re given a Virgin Margarita, and it hits all the right spots. The best part? You can drive home safely and not end up in Driver Reeducation… or on one of the safety films they show.
What is the Featured Ingredient in a Virgin Margarita?
The best alcohol is NO alcohol in the Virgin Margarita. Maybe you’re the designated driver, or maybe you’re just taking a little break from the spirits. Maybe you’re going to be around children and don’t want to set a bad example, like I do. To get that margarita “essence”, go for a nice 100% agave syrup. You won’t even miss the tequila.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of lime juice
- 1/3 cup of orange juice
- 2 tablespoons of agave syrup
- 1/2 cup of club soda or sparkling water
- Salt for rimming the glass optional
- Lime slices for garnish
- Ice cubes
Instructions
- Moisten the rim of your glass with a lime slice and dip it into the salt.
- Combine the lime juice, orange juice and agave syrup in a shaker. Shake well until everything is mixed together.
- Fill the prepared glass with ice cubes. Pour the mixture over the ice and top it off with club soda or sparkling water to give it a bit of fizz. Garnish with a slice of lime.
Nutrition
Tips and Tricks to Make a Perfect Virgin Margarita
When making your mocktail, don’t skimp on the ingredients. Find the best orange juice, or even squeeze it fresh yourself. Same goes for the limes. You’ll really taste the difference when you opt for using the freshest mixers you can. A little effort goes a long way when you’re traveling to flavor country.
FAQs
Similar Drinks to the Virgin Margarita
If you’re looking for more delicious and booze-free beverages to keep your night just as festive as the friends you’ll be driving home later, Twist & Toast has that squared away for you. Check out some of these awesome recipes below to add to your repertoire:
Jalapeño Paloma Mocktail – A spicy and refreshing spin on the grapefruit flavored favorite.
Virgin Miami Vice – Roll those pastel sleeves up and put the top down, ’cause you can drink and drive all night with this alcohol free concoction.
Virgin Mojito – If you’re a fiend for mojitos you can enjoy these all night long and wake up feeling fantastic.
Virgin Pina Colada – You won’t get caught in the rain with this tasty and hangover-free summer treat.
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